


Take It Easy For A While

by eggboyksoo



Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, M/M, alternative universe - pokémon oras, johnny is steven stone, kun is the champion, mentions of johnny and yixing, ten is his rival and the professor's son, yixing is norman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 00:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17457038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggboyksoo/pseuds/eggboyksoo
Summary: “You know, we set out from Littleroot at the same time, but… it seems like you’re just dashing ahead by yourself and leaving me behind… I feel like we’re not even on the same level anymore, you know?… It’s kinda lonely thinking that… or it would be if I really thought that! But… well, you did do something pretty amazing. So take it easy for a while, OK, friend? Later!”Ten hates thinking.





	Take It Easy For A While

**Author's Note:**

> i have.... finally written a kunten fic. this has been a while coming. it's not the kunten fic i thought it would be, but i have been reading [we make the world go by technocouture](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16767343/chapters/39342610), which is a fantastic pokémon b2w2 au, and i finally finished my omega ruby game the other day!! i was heavily inspired by the quote found in the summary. i'm hoping that this au isn't too hard to follow without prior knowledge of pokémon or of omega ruby/alpha sapphire. (there are references, but i based this particular fic on the events of omega ruby, only because that was the game i played). enjoy!

_“You know, we set out from Littleroot at the same time, but… it seems like you’re just dashing ahead by yourself and leaving me behind… I feel like we’re not even on the same level anymore, you know?… It’s kinda lonely thinking that… or it would be if I really thought that! But… well, you did do something pretty amazing. So take it easy for a while, OK, friend? Later!”_

\- Pokémon Trainer Brendan

* * *

 

Whatever needs to be done in the Hall of Fame, the secret that’s kept amongst Champions, takes a long enough time that Ten begins to think. Reflect. He takes in the domed room that is the Champion’s chamber. Thinks about how it seemed to match Johnny’s public image—someone whom everyone loves to watch and has lots of respect for, who’s always had that disconnect, like he’s been hidden behind glass. Untouchable. Remembers that by virtue of being the new Hoenn League Champion, this room is now Kun’s. Tries to see Kun standing here. Kun, who offered him a home-made lunch every time he did fieldwork because Ten was hopeless at cooking; Kun, who gazed at wonder at the horde of Beautifly that flew over them on their way into Petalburg City the first time; Kun, who, less than a month earlier, had tears and a steely look in his eyes as he headed into the Cave of Origin to save the world.

Kun, who had been a late bloomer, much like he had. Kun, who had been his equal. His rival. Kun, who had left him behind in the dust, and is now someone that Ten could not live up to, someone he admires and fears and adores, all at once.

Ten hates thinking.

Kun returns to the chamber alone. He hesitates for a moment on the landing that leads to the Hall of Fame, before stepping down with a shy smile. “Hi, Ten,” he says, voice quiet, shy, the way it always is. Like Kun hasn’t saved the world. Like Kun isn’t the most powerful trainer in all of Hoenn.

“Welcome back,” Ten replies with a little smile of his own. “You were gone for a while.”

“Ah, sorry,” Kun says, shaking his head a little, “The machine that records your team is a little slow. Johnny says it’s because it’s not used that often, but I think it’s because it hasn’t been updated in a little while.” Before Ten can think too deeply again about the exclusivity of the club Kun has now joined, the other trainer tilts his head with a frown. “What are you still doing here?” He asks. “Why didn’t you leave with the professor?”

“Well, I…” Ten trails off. He doesn’t really know. His father had suggested he’d stay, and Ten had thought it was a good idea. But what good is it now? Kun’s _Kun_ and Ten doesn’t know who the hell he is, not really. Kun blinks at him, confused. “Uh, you know…”

Ten takes in Kun’s clothes—the outfit he’d carefully selected that would help him deal with the warmer Hoenn weather and deal with the elements. He’d ordered multiples of everything to give himself a uniform on the road, which Ten thought was practical and fairly stupid at the time. He can see the wear on Kun’s shirt—at the collar, where it’s fraying on the shoulders, that Ten’s surprised he still hasn’t darned—and he knows that one pair of Kun’s pants and one of his ugly hats are singed after what happened with Groudon. He thinks about how he’d laughed himself silly the first time Kun left his house wearing the ensemble, and how now Kun’s worn it in, made it part of _him_ , part of his brand, and how the Lilycove Department Store was probably going to sell replicas so young kids can dress like the hero of Hoenn.

“Ten?” Kun asks with a frown.

“We started out on this journey together,” Ten says, finally, trying to break free of the memories and focus on what’s in front of him. “We should maybe finish it together, too. For old times’ sake.”

Kun stares for a few more moments before he starts laughing. “Ten, we’ve only been travelling for six months at most. _Old times’ sake_ , goodness, you’re so dramatic.”

Six months. It feels like a lifetime. But then again, Ten feels like he’s known Kun his whole life, and it’s only been about a year.

“You’re always reading too much into things,” Ten sniffs, before he smooths out his (new and beautifully embroidered) coat. “Come on, let’s go home. Back to Littleroot Town.”

Kun nods. “Okay,” he says. “Just let me heal up my Pokémon before we leave. Do you want to fly on Latios? Steven gave me a flute, and it’s _super_ awesome—”

“No,” Ten says, and he nearly winces at the way Kun’s face seems to fall. “I mean—I want to fly on your Latios,” he quickly amends, because he does, even if something churns away at him, the fact Kun has somehow stopped Groudon from making the region a barren wasteland, carries that immense power in a Poké Ball, _and_ has _Latios_ on call for to fly him around. “But I just thought the scenic route would be nice.”

“Are you sure—” Kun starts out, eyes flickering to Ten’s jacket, before he catches himself. “If that’s what you want. I think that sounds like a good idea.”

Ten nods, before he turns on his heel, heading out the way he’d come. Kun follows, and Ten tries and fails at not overanalysing, at how now even Kun thinks he’s not battle-hardened, how everything’s changed now, down to Ten’s coat, and he doesn’t know how to make it how it used to be.

* * *

 

They arrive on Route 103 much later on in the day. Ten had forgotten they would pass through it—surfing across the pond, and landing where it had all begun.

“This is kinda nostalgic,” Ten admits, looking around. “Back on Route 103, huh?”

Kun looks around with a smile, before humming. “It’s been a while,” he says. “This pond—this is where we first battled, right?”

“Yeah,” Ten replies. Not for the first time, he’s thrown back to what it was like before—six months, a lifetime—when Kun almost fumbled with his Treeko’s Poké Ball as he sent him out for battle, which made Ten grin, until Kun kicked his butt.

He should’ve known then what Kun was going to become.

“Hey, Kun?” He asks with a little grin. He already knows what Kun is going to say— _you and your dramatics, Ten_ —but Ten feels like it’s fitting. Full circle, almost. “Can you do me a favour?”

“Anything.” Kun’s voice is so calming, so _him_ , that it freaks Ten out a little bit.

“Let’s battle,” Ten says, looking over at his friend. Kun merely stares back at him. If it had been before, in that sweet spot after they’d gotten to know each other, before Kun got too good, Ten would’ve made a comment about him looking a little dimwitted. Now all Ten can think about is how that face would’ve deceived people who didn’t know better, who’d underestimated him. “Come on—one more time.”

“You’re feeling sentimental today, aren’t you?” Kun says, eyes twinkling.

“Just a little bit.” Ten sighs. “I know you might be tired. I am too, but—I want to _know_ ,” he says, hoping Kun understands. “I wanna know about what you saw on your journey and how you felt about it, what you experienced. I think I just want this opportunity to get to know you, Kun, and your Pokémon.”

Kun frowns, his mouth opening to protest, so Ten continues “And I want you,” he says, “To know all about me, and about _my_ Pokémon.”

There’s not much to know. Kun’s found a sense of purpose for himself he didn’t have six months ago, and a new job to boot. Ten, not so much. But he’s seen so much of Kun, and yet not enough—and he feels like he hasn’t shown so much of himself. He wants Kun to _know_. And then maybe he’ll be able to move on from all of this, and figure out what path is worth pursuing. Something not under Kun’s shadow, he thinks. Something of his own.

“Alright,” Kun says, with a nod. His eyes narrow. The look of a Champion. “Let’s start then.”

* * *

 

They arrive in Littleroot about an hour later, feet dragging as they make it into the small town they call home. It’s been a long, long day—probably more so for Kun, but Ten can’t stop _thinking_.

They walk over to Kun’s house first. Ten's a gentleman, even if he’s kind of an asshole, and this is the least that Kun deserves. He notices Kun’s little gasp at the lights that are on in his home—Yixing barely ever came home unless Kun asked him to. Ten wants to tell him his father had been waiting for him to come home, ever since he’d found out he’d made his way to Ever Grande, but he feels like that’s a story for father and son to have, alone.

“Have a good rest,” Ten says. “You deserve it.”

He’s about to turn away, deciding to give his rival a cheerful wave from the front door, even if that’s not how he feels, but Kun grabs his shoulder before he can.

“I—Ten.” Kun pulls him back, a little closer, and if Ten startles just the tiniest bit. “Hey,” the Champion says. He hesitates for a moment. “I didn’t get to say this before, because you walked off, but—your Mega Blaziken is really, _really_ cool. You guys compliment each other, a lot.”

“Thanks,” Ten says with a smile, because even if he feels like he can’t compare, his Blaziken _is_ killing the Mega Evolution, thank you very much. He’s proud he had the opportunity to be able to do that with his Blaziken.

Kun’s fingers dig into his shoulder. “Wait, don’t go yet,” Kun says. “I’m not finished. I—” He takes a deep breath, stares. “I just wanted to say that. I think it’s a little silly, that you said you wanted to know about me and my journey. You were there.”

“Not for everything.” Not for enough.

Kun sighs. “It’s been a little crazy,” he sighs, “But you’ve been there for all the important things—my first battle, to when I had to… to go into the Cave of Origin…” Kun closes his eyes for a moment, squeezes them shut. When he opens them again, his gaze is earnest. “You’ve always been there, every step of the way. Encouraging me and giving me advice. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do half the things I did without you there.”

“That’s stupid.” Ten says it because it’s true. “You did all those things because you were born to be a trainer. It could’ve been anyone encouraging you—or no one at all. You still would’ve done all the amazing things you’ve done because that’s who you are. It’s got nothing to do with me.”

“It’s just how I feel,” Kun argues. He goes quiet, and then: “Why are you acting like our journey’s over? It’s just started.”

My _journey has just started_ , Ten wants to say. He wants to point out Kun’s already finished his. But before he can, the door behind Kun opens, and his father, the Gym Leader Yixing, pokes his head out. “I—I thought I heard voices,” Yixing says, softly. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting something—”

“No, it’s fine,” Ten says, easily, with a little bow. “I was heading home anyway. Have a good night, Mr Yixing, Kun.”

Kun digs into Ten’s shoulder again, this time making him wince. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Kun says, voice pleading. “Johnny said I’m allowed to take a vacation and—after some time here helping out the professor we’re going to Slateport or Verdanturf or _anywhere_ and I’m going to watch you win a contest. Okay?”

“You’re going to be busy—”

“You were there for me,” Kun says, that little glint in his eye, “So I’m going to be there for you, alright? Our journey’s not over yet. You have to take over the Contest Halls first.”

Kun lets go of Ten’s shoulder, finally; it feels cold now that he’s let go of it. As soon as he steps away, Yixing is closing the front door, pulling his son into a warm hug.

The walk over to his place is less than two minutes, but it’s still enough time to think—to reflect.

He thinks about how Kun had all but locked himself into his new house when he first moved here, to make sure his father could spend as much time as possible moving past his grief. He thinks about afraid Kun had been to start his journey, afraid to tie himself down to Hoenn because he wasn’t sure if he liked it—but he had to be here, he had no choice. He had to look after his father. Thinks about how Kun’s always been self-sacrificing, to the point of risking his own wellbeing. Thinks about how every time he’d bumped into Kun or met up with him and travelled with him, he saw Kun fall in love with the region and become more comfortable with the area, with his Pokémon, _himself_.

He thinks about how Kun willingly went to what seemed like potential death to save the world. Thinks about how Kun would’ve done that before his Pokémon journey, except, six months ago, he wouldn’t have been so terrified of it. So terrified of not being able to achieve things he’d never thought he’d wanted. He thinks about Kun’s hand on his shoulder, demanding him to listen, and he realises that Kun’s come so far, but he still has further to go.

Ten thinks about himself then—he still doesn’t know what the future holds for him. He set out on his journey with no plan, and no challenge to encourage him to train. He wanted to help his father, and his Pokédex reflects that. It doesn’t have the data Kun’s does, but it’s hefty. He wanted to be a good trainer, so he challenged the gyms and got a few badges, so he could travel. He wanted to make his mother proud, and did a couple of contests. It was a lot of fun, and he really liked it—but he was afraid of living under her shadow.

He thinks about how he’s terrified of spending the rest of his life being known as someone else’s son, or someone’s friend, rather than the person he wants to be. Thinks about how that’s stopped him from achieving much because he’s been afraid he’s going to be overshadowed. Today, he spent all his quiet time thinking about how Kun had left him in the dust, left him behind—but maybe he was never meant to go down that path, and Kun had known it. Maybe they weren’t supposed to be rivals—maybe it they were always supposed to be just friends. Maybe partners.

Maybe he’ll be a Master Coordinator worthy of a Champion. Maybe he already is.

When he gets home, he takes his coat off with a weary sigh, and all but flops onto his bed. He can forgo skincare for one night. He grabs his Pokénav, pulls up Kun’s contact details, and quickly shoots him a message—

_See you tomorrow <3 _

**Author's Note:**

> important contextual headcanons: 
> 
> \- kun's mother died a year and a half prior to the events of the fic, which prompted yixing to apply for a job as a hoenn gym leader, rather than stay in their home region of johto.  
> \- trainers get their pokémon licenses at 18, which allows them to have pokémon and travel the region.  
> \- kun stayed in littleroot town for six months although he was already 18 after moving there to make sure his father was handling his grief properly until he was basically forced to leave.  
> \- ten's father is the regional pokémon professor and his mother is a master coordinator. his parents are separated bc they've lived long-distance for so long  
> \- ten got his trainer's license around the time kun moved to littleroot town and was planning to travel, but due to their budding friendship put it off until kun left as well. he played it off by saying 'i've seen the big cities they're whatever let's stick to areas around home!!'  
> \- johnny is the equivalent of steven stone, aka the region dreamboat and everyone who has ever met him has fallen in love with him; he collects stones and plushies in his (minimal) spare time.  
> \- taeyong is the sootopolis gym leader and johnny's best friend who dabbles in contests in his spare time. his niece, a famous coordinator, loves ten, and was the one who scouted him. 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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